10/06/2024, Todd Qualls, piano

MUSIC 2024 2025

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MUSIC ARTIST AFFILIATE RECITAL Todd Qualls, piano

Sunday, October 6, 2024, 4:00 p.m.

Emerson Concert Hall Schwartz Center for Performing Arts

2024 2025

Program Partita No. 3 in A Minor, BWV 827 Fantasia Allemande Corrente Sarabande Burlesca Scherzo Gigue

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)

Études op. 10 No. 1 in C Major No. 3 in E Major No. 4 in C-sharp Minor

Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849)

Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, op. 2, No. 1 Allegro Adagio Menuetto: Allegretto Prestissimo

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)

— Intermission — Études op. 10 No. 5 in G-flat Major No. 6 in E-flat Minor No. 7 in C Major

Chopin

Images, Livre II I. Cloches à travers les feuilles (Bells Through the Leaves) II. Et la lune descend sur le temple qui fut (And the Moon Sets over the Temple That Was) III. Poissons d’or (Goldfish) Études op. 10 No. 8 in F Major No. 9 in F Minor No. 12 in C Minor

Claude Debussy (1862–1918)

Chopin

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Program Notes Today’s recital is in memory of my mother, Sandra Witherow Stovin Qualls (1935–2024), who worked at Emory for many years and enjoyed hundreds of concerts here. Among many other wonderful things, she unfailingly supported my musical endeavors and came to my concerts.

—Todd Qualls

Partita No. 3 in A Minor, BWV 827

The Partitas, BWV 825–830, are a set of six keyboard suites written by Johann Sebastian Bach, published individually beginning in 1726, then together as Clavier-Übung I in 1731, the first of his works to be published under his own direction. 1 Most of Bach’s suites, which mainly include the Partitas, English Suites, and French Suites, include a few standard dance forms (Allemande, Courante/Corrente, Sarabande, and Gigue/Giga), plus an opening movement and a couple of “optional” dances, in this case a Fantasia, Burlesca, and Scherzo—the only ones with these designations in any of these sets.

I was drawn to this Partita originally by the eloquent opening but soon realized that each movement had its own beautiful aspects. I especially like the contrast between the haunting Sarabande and the lively, almost stomping energy of the Burlesca and Scherzo.

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partitas_for_keyboard_(Bach)#On_clavichord

Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, op. 2, No. 1

I recall starting work on Beethoven’s “Pastoral” Sonata during college, then switching to the first movement of op. 2, No. 1 because it “felt more like Beethoven.” Nowadays I think of the “Pastoral” as sufficiently Beethovenesque, but I can still hear what I was thinking then—this piece has a lot of the striking contrasts that the composer learned partly from his teacher Haydn, as well as the rumbling energy that we associate with Beethoven, not to mention a certain amount of technical spectacle— especially in the last movement—on a level not heard previously.

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Images, Livre II

This piece has been on my repertoire bucket list for a long time. I am always astonished by Debussy’s imagination for sounds that can be produced on the piano. This one has many examples of his famous use of whole-tone scales—especially the first movement—as well as pentatonic (five-note) scales—such as the second movement, in which Debussy captures the effect of the Gamelan that he heard at a couple of international festivals in Paris. There are some interesting jazz-like extended chords in the third movement, as well as uses of triads with a major and minor third (e.g. a chord with C, E, E-flat and G) that are more often associated with blues music, but somehow don’t come across that way, at least to my ear.

Études Op. 10

Speaking of bucket list items, figuring out how to play these études is a lifelong puzzle for many pianists, myself included. Wish me luck! As much as I enjoy the flashy ones, I always loved the fact that some of them are slower, lyrical pieces.

—Program notes by Todd Qualls

Todd Qualls, piano Todd Qualls began his piano studies while growing up in Atlanta. He earned a bachelor’s degree in music at Emory University, studying piano with William Ransom, and later completed a master’s degree in piano performance with a pedagogy emphasis at Florida State University, where he studied with Carolyn Bridger.

Qualls has had a varied career in music, with experience in solo performance, accompanying, chamber music, and teaching. Some of his previous performances have included Emory keyboard faculty presentations of Bach’s Goldberg Variations and Saint-Saens’ Carnival of the Animals, as well as recitals with trombonist Ed Nicholson. More recently he gave a solo recital at Emory University in 2019 and participated in the Emory Chamber Music Society of Atlanta’s Beethoven Sonata-thon in 2020.

Qualls devotes much of his time to teaching students at Emory and in the surrounding neighborhood. He has also served on the teaching faculty of the Georgia Academy of Music and Community Music Centers in Atlanta.

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Music at Emory The Department of Music at Emory University provides an exciting and innovative environment for developing knowledge and skills as a performer, composer, and scholar. Led by a faculty of more than 60 nationally and internationally recognized artists and researchers, our students experience a rich diversity of performance and academic opportunities. Undergraduate students earn a BA in music with a specialization in performance, composition, or research—many of whom simultaneously earn a second degree in another department. True to the spirit of Emory, a liberal arts college in the heart of a research university, our faculty and ensembles also welcome the participation of non-major students from across the Emory campus. Become a part of Music at Emory by giving to the Friends of Music.

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Upcoming Schwartz Center Concerts Visit schwartz.emory.edu to view complete event information. If a ticket is required for attendance, prices are indicated in the listings below in the following order: Full price/Emory student price (unless otherwise noted).

Friday, October 11 and Saturday, October 12, 8:00 p.m., A Choral Tapestry, Atlanta Master Chorale, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, $42/$10 (all students), tickets required Friday, October 18, 8:00 p.m., Zee Zee, piano, Candler Concert Series, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, $35/$10, tickets required Sunday, October 20, 4:00 p.m., Emory Wind Studies Concert, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, free Saturday, October 26, 8:00 p.m., Emory University Symphony Orchestra: Family Weekend Concert, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, free, tickets required Sunday, October 27, 7:00 p.m., Emory Choirs, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, free 7

Music at Emory brings together students, faculty, and world-class artists to create an exciting and innovative season of performances, lectures, workshops, and master classes. With more than 150 events each year across multiple Emory venues, audiences experience a wide variety of musical offerings.

We hope you enjoy sampling an assortment of work from our student ensembles, community youth ensembles, artists in residence, professional faculty, up-and-coming prodigies, and virtuosos from around the world. music.emory.edu